Aunty Artemis
by Pachowable
Summary: Artemis met Lian before Roy did. Artemis took care of Lian before Roy did. Major spoilers for Salvage


**A****/N: I should be writing other stuff, but I can't get this out of my head. MAJOR spoilers for Salvage. (PS did you guys see that Roy's apartment matched Jason Todd's apartment from Batman: Under the Red Hood?)**

**I do not own Young Justice in anyway. **

Aunty Artemis

Artemis followed the trail of the burglar to a warehouse. It was one of those nights where she just _couldn't _sit still. Wally was the one who wanted to retire and just have a "normal" life. Although, when in reality it was because of when he ran there was an ebbing pain that he just couldn't ignore anymore. He hoped with a couple of years he would be fine and not be confined to a wheel chair or something more serious. He didn't tell anyone about the pain, but Artemis had found out eventually. She knew it was more than the fact that he wanted a _normal _life—a normal college life in Palo Alto, California.

Artemis couldn't sit still, though. It was from a childhood of never being allowed to do nothing. She always had to be doing _something_. Tonight was one of those nights. She would just sneak out and fight some minor crime sprees in Palo Alto. This place was nothing like Gotham—which to some degree disappointed her. The rich town sometimes had no crimes for her to stop.

Tonight she had only managed to stop one mugging and now she was following a poorly done burglary.

She saw the burglar dip into a warehouse and Artemis followed inside with her bow drawn. The place was completely dark, but her eyes adjusted quickly until she located the thief. Before she could do anything, the thief flipped on the lights.

Artemis nearly shot her sister in the moment that she couldn't see.

"Jade?" Artemis questioned, but still had her bow taught and ready to go.

"Artemis, I need to talk to you," Jade said and took off her belt and any weapons she had on her. "Truce."

Artemis eyes the twin sai on the ground, but sheathed her bow as well. "You could have just called," Artemis jokes to her sister. In the past years, Artemis hadn't really had a lot of interaction with her sister, but it was enough to know that her sister was on a better path. She only _rarely_ did jobs for the Shadows nowadays.

Her sister sighs—she isn't wearing her Cheshire mask—"I—I need your help, Artemis."

Artemis narrowed her eyes, "With what? If this has to do with a Shadow job—"

"No," she says immediate. "I need to show you something."

_Something_.

Jade makes a motion for Artemis to follow her to the next room of the warehouse. Artemis watches as Jade disappears into the next room before following her. When Artemis enters the room, she sees it.

_I need to show you something. _

More like _someone. _

Her eyes land on the small child—_no_, baby—in her sister's arms. The baby couldn't be older than a month old. There was a small tuft of red hair on the baby's head. Artemis slowly walked closer to her sister. She felt a billion questions bubbling up in her chest as she watched the little baby sleep in her sister's arms. "Is it—?"

"_She's_ mine," Jade corrected. "Artemis, meet your niece."

"What's her name? Who's her dad? Does Mom know?"

Jade locked eyes with Artemis, "Her name is Lian Nguyen _Harper_."

That was the moment. That was the moment that Artemis just couldn't believe what was happening. "You mean…as in her dad is _Roy Harper? _At least that explains the red hair."

Artemis watched as Jade offered the baby to her. Artemis slowly took the child and cradled the baby in her arms. Her and Roy were really family now. "Does he know about her? Is she a result of a one night stand?" Artemis quickly rattled off some more questions.

"Artemis…me and Roy…we're _married._"

Okay. She takes back what she said before. That. _That _was the moment. Jade really had to stop dropping these things on her head otherwise Artemis wasn't going to be prepared for anything normal to happen ever again. "Married?" she choked out and stared at the little girl whom was quietly sleeping in her hands.

_Oh God_. Her and Roy were _in-laws. _

Her sister refused to meet her eyes. "We've been married a little more than a year, but we haven't seen each other in almost six months," Jade explained and stroked Lian's face. When did Jade get so _gentle _and _caring_? "Roy has no idea her."

Artemis raised an eyebrow. "Six months? You went through the pregnancy alone?"

Her sister nodded, "I didn't really have anyone to turn to—"

"Me," Artemis immediately interrupted.

"I didn't want you to turn around and go straight to Roy," her sister answers back immediately.

Artemis…didn't know what to think. There were just so many questions swimming around in head and all she wanted to do is just ask and then judge. That little voice in her head was already judging her sister on everything she did—it was a good thing that she wasn't vocalizing any of it. Jade had came to her for _help_, not to be criticized by her sister whom had obviously better judgment. "Why aren't you going to tell him? He's your husband, _apparently_."

Oh there was the infamous Crock sass seeping into her voice.

Jade narrowed her eyes, "Have you seen Roy lately?"

Oh. Her sister had her there. Artemis hadn't seen Roy since the Christmas party at the Queen's and that was almost a half a year ago. He looked like crap—to say the least. "Oh," was all she could muster.

Her sister smirked, "He's caught up on the finding the real Speedy thing, and that's why I need your help," her sister began. "I want Lian to have her father back. I don't want my daughter to hate her father like I hated mine. The only way to get Roy back in shape is to help him find the real Speedy."

"But the real Speedy might not even be alive," Artemis argued.

"He is. I have a lead that I need to follow, and I need you to watch Lian until I get back, Artemis," her sister explained.

Artemis stared down at the sleeping baby in her arms, "I—I live with Wally now, unless you want Roy finding out I don't know how I'm going to be able to take care of her."

"I have an apartment in small town in New York. You can stay there."

"But what am I going to tell Wally?"

"Don't you have friends back in Gotham?"

"Well, yeah, Bette and Babs."

"Tell him that they had an emergency and that you need to help them out," her sister explained. Her face softened up and she sighed, "I'm sorry, Artemis. I just…I _love_ Roy. I want him to be _himself_ again, not some obsessed, dirty hobo."

Artemis smirked at her sister's description, "Why not let Mom take care of her?" There was a pause before Artemis realized it. "Mom doesn't know does she? How could you not tell her?"

"I was going to, but I didn't realize how connected Mom is with the hero community nowadays. I went over there, but Green Arrow was sitting on the couch watching basketball with Mom. If I were to tell her who Lian is and who her father is then Mom would go and tattle on me. I can't risk letting Roy know. He just can't handle anymore stress right now, Artemis. Besides, Mom gets visits from more than just Green Arrow."

Artemis knew what she was implying. Ever since Artemis had moved out—and even a bit before—Dick Grayson would come over to her Mom's house and have dinner with her. Before it had been to hang out with Artemis, but after Artemis left he still would go over there. Her Mom loved it. She would always call to say that Dick had come over that day and had brought flowers for her Mom's small garden on the fire escape. It helped her Mom not be so lonely, and Artemis was extremely thankful for this. It kept her Mom happy—she wasn't exactly sure what the reasons for Dick were in him doing this, but she always kept note of asking him.

"Tell her," Artemis said.

Jade's eyes widened, "I just said I can't."

"I know, but Jade, Mom might not live much longer. She needs to at least meet her granddaughter before it's too late."

Jade visibly softened and nodded at the statement, "After I come back, we can go to Gotham. Mom will be happy to see her," Jade said and took back her baby. "You know she looks like you when you were a baby. Ask Mom to get the baby pictures out when we go over next time." She paused for a second, "So you'll do it?"

Artemis smiled, "I guess, she needs to meet her Aunty Artemis, but I need to tell Wally I'm going to be gone first. Meet me tomorrow morning on at the Starbucks on 16th Street?"

Her sister smiled and reached out and hugged her—but was careful of not squeezing the baby too much. "Thank you, Artemis. You will be a great Aunt."


End file.
